FOI Directory is growing but needs your help

FOI Directory is quickly approaching its first birthday and are now looking to make the website grow in size.

Over the last 12 months, or so, the website been used by journalists working across all levels of publications, researchers, campaigners and many more individuals and groups.

There have been in excess of 10,000 unique visitors, and more than 50,000 page views.

With more than 10,000 contact email addresses on the website’s data base and 500+ examples of FOI use in the media it has grown to become much larger than I originally envisaged.

However there are thousands more public authorities subject to the Act who are not listed in the database, and inevitably some contact details need updating.

To help with the maintenance and running of the website I am looking for a few volunteers to help FOI Directory grow.

Ideally this would suit students, and those able to donate a couple of hours a week to the website. Although anyone with an interest in the Act and would like to learn more about it are more than welcome to become involved.

Helping on the website would involve researching media use of the FOI Act and publishing posts based around them, blog posts on FOI developments and changes, maintenance of the databases.

There are also some exciting behind the scenes projects which are being developed.

Being involved in the website would allow people to learn more about the Act, how it is used by journalists, practice making requests themselves while also learning online research skills and experiencing managing large databases.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone which has supported the website to this point. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, which isn’t necessarily what I was expecting before the launch.

If you’re interested in becoming involved with the website you can find out more by dropping me a quick line at either: foiadirectory@gmail.com or mattburgess100@gmail.com.

Thanks again, Matt.

Disclosure: In the spirit of transparency I would like to highlight FOI Directory is run completely in my own time and hosting costs for the website are paid for solely by myself. I receive no payment of any kind and the website is intended to be a resource to help others.

I am a journalist and author. I am a staff writer at the UK edition of WIRED magazine and in 2015 my book, Freedom of Information: A Practical Guide for UK Journalists, was published. I created FOI Directory in 2012.